GPU for Max 2014 and beyond

[Morne]

Hi All

This is kinda pre-emptive, and speculative, but hoping somebody can give some hints or thoughts where this may or may not be going.

I'm in the process of setting up a shopping list of new workstations mixture of HPZ820 and i7 3930K, and I'm leaning towards GTX 580 for all the stations, the lower end as well as the higher end workstations. I'm worried however that Max 2014 may throw a spanner in the works for gaming cards (no I didn't hear or read it somewhere - I'm just thinking out loud)

So would you say GTX 580 is a good overall option both for viewport performance AND RT AND Photoshop, or would you suggest something else?
If the OpenCL driver issue for AMD is sorted, will the 7970 be an option instead of the GTX 580?

[Morne]

Hmmm from Hp's site it seems the GPU options only cover the pro cards for the Z820 namely quadro and firegl. I wonder then if that means you can't or you shouldnt put gaming cards in there?

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

From my experience of working with 16 bit 10x6k iamges in photoshop u want to disable all GPU add on-s and use it only in BASIC mode. If I use it in anything higher than basic I get lag, jaggs and insane pain working with GPU/PS.

[Morne]

Hmmm from Hp's site it seems the GPU options only cover the pro cards for the Z820 namely quadro and firegl. I wonder then if that means you can't or you shouldnt put gaming cards in there?

anybody have thoughts on this?

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

U should be able to put any GPU in to any Motherboard u like as ling as its pcie 2-3v.

The only problem is that HP/DELL on low end workstations/mid end workstations would put BAD power supply unit which you would need to replace. If u want to run 4x gtx u need at least 1kW PSU unit + extra for rest of components.

[vlado]

And good cooling With 4x GTX I mean...

Best regards,
Vlado

[Morne]

That's pie in the sky kind of stuff, we've decided in the meantime to spec self built Z820 equivalents.... We dont need the extra support and warrantee and "name" that comes with HP, Dell etc...
We're getting specs on dual xeon 32 cores vs few i7's 3930K

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

If I may suggest... wait for Intels new xeon 15 core cpus? Then u can have 30 cores...60 threads... Intel may enable overclocking again and people will go crazy with EVGA OC rigs... Think of it... 30x 4.5ghz OC @_@

[Morne]

yes but I'm sure when it eventually arrives, cost will just be tooooooooooooooo much

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

Well self build rig will be around 3-4£... and if u can OC and EVGA will make motherboard u looking at 130 ghz of raw power? I would have to buy now around 5 pcs to match that at 1k each o.o so at the end cost even up. It just soo much more fun to work with if its in 1 box :O. MRrrr God plz make intel OC xeons and EVGA mobo ? pretty plzzz....